Rams score in Super Bowl 2022: L.A. claims franchise's second title with fourth-quarter rally in home stadium

Matthew Stafford hooked up with MVP Cooper Kupp for the winning score

For just the second time in franchise history and the first time since the club moved back to Los Angeles, the Rams are Super Bowl champions. The Rams became the second team in Super Bowl history to win a title in their home stadium as Matthew Stafford led a late scoring drive to knock off the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20. 

Entering the final quarter of play, L.A. found itself trailing the Bengals by four. After a sluggish second half that included a stretch of three straight three-and-outs, Stafford and the offense finally came alive on what would be their final possession of the game. They drove 79 yards down the field and Stafford would connect with wide receiver Cooper Kupp for the go-ahead score. With less than 90 seconds remaining in Super Bowl LVI, Cincinnati would get the ball back, but Aaron Donald helped slam the door shut. The Rams' star pass-rusher came up with a clutch pressure on Joe Burrow on four-and-1 that turned the ball over on downs and secured the title for Los Angeles. 

Stafford completed 26 of his 40 passes for 283 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Naturally, Kupp was his primary target as he hauled in eight of his 10 targets for 92 yards and two scores and was named the game's MVP. Meanwhile, Donald finished his night accounting for two of L.A.'s seven total sacks against Cincinnati. 

The Rams' last Super Bowl title came during the 1999 season in Super Bowl XXXIV when the team resided in St. Louis.

For more on how this game unfolded from a Rams perspective, check out our takeawys below! 

Why the Rams won

The offense is what sparked the Rams early as it was able to jump out to a 10-point lead midway through the first half. Stafford started the game completing nine of his first 11 passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns as L.A. built that lead. After that point, however, the offense did start to go quiet, specifically in the aftermath of Odell Beckham Jr. leaving the game with a non-contact knee injury. That loss forced the Rams to turn to the likes of Van Jefferson and Ben Skowronek more in the passing game, while the Bengals looked to bottle up Kupp as best they could. 

With the offense trying to find its way though the Beckham Jr. loss, the defense led by Donald came up with a number of timely plays. Specifically, the Rams were able to get pressure on Joe Burrow in the second half after he was sacked just once over the first two quarters. The Rams finished the game with seven sacks on Burrow with Donald and Von Miller accounting for four of those takedowns. Even as the Rams' offense struggled through three three-and-outs in the second half, the L.A. defense was able to keep the Bengals at bay in time for Stafford and Co. to find its footing on that game-winning touchdown drive. 

Even after that score, there was plenty of time for the Bengals to try and knot the game and force overtime, but Donald continued to apply pressure, particularly on that final fourth-down play by Cincinnati where Donald engulfed Burrow as he threw an incomplete pass.  

Turning point

We'll touch on Kupp's go-ahead score below as that was a natural break in this game for Los Angeles. However, one of the more underrated swings of momentum came on Cincinnati's second possession of the second half. 

After the Bengals took the lead thanks to a 75-yard touchdown catch by Tee Higgins, Stafford threw an interception on his first throw of the second half. That immediately gave Cincinnati the ball back deep in L.A. territory and an opportunity to create a double-digit lead with another touchdown. Over that four-plus-minute drive, however, the Bengals would only travel 11 yards as the Rams' defense stepped up in a major way to force a field goal that still kept it a one-possession game. 

Donald was particularly lethal during this drive as he accounted for two sacks over a six-play span. That final sack on third down backed the Bengals up 9 yards and forced them to boot a field goal to extend their led 20-13. That proved to be a much more manageable deficit for the Rams to eventually overcome. 

Play of the game

Of course, we have to go with the go-ahead touchdown as our play of the game! As he's been all year, Kupp was Stafford's go-to outlet with the Super Bowl hanging in the balance. On that final drive, Stafford completed four of his six targets to Kupp for 39 yards, including that goal-line touchdown to give Los Angeles the lead with less than 90 seconds to play. 

With the Rams running game nonexistent for this game, Kupp came up extremely clutch earlier on this drive with a jet sweep run on on a fourth-and-1 attempt from the Rams 30 yard line to keep the title hopes alive. 

Given his heroics on that final drive alone, it's no wonder he was able to secure Super Bowl MVP. 

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[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:59 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Turnover on downs and the Rams are going to pull this out!!

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:59 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Huge stop by Aaron Donald to prevent Perine from converting that first down. Super underrated play.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:57 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Bad move by Ramsey to try and jump that pass. Opened Chase up to make the case, fly 17 yards down the field and walk out of bounds to stop the clock.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:56 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

It's go time for Aaron Donald and Von MIller.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:54 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Who else but Cooper Kupp? The Rams lead by three with just under 90 seconds to play.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:51 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Three straight plays with penalties. This is starting to get ugly.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:48 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Huge penalty against the Bengals gives the Rams new life.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:47 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Stafford had Van Jefferson on that first-and-goal throw for a touchdown.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:43 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Cooper Kupp is making a strong bid for MVP if the Rams pull this off.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:42 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

That first-and-10 pass to Akers is exactly what I was suggesting they try. High percentage throw that gets the ball in the hands of some of your better playmakers.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:40 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Needed to go for it on that fourth down, imo. I give McVay a ton of credit for going with Cooper Kupp on the jet sweep. There was no way anyone from that backfield was going to convert.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:35 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

That was Tyler Boyd's first drop this season. He was clearly anticipating contact immediately after the ball arrived and was spooked. Could be the miscue the Rams have been looking for.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:34 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Ernest Jones got banged up on that last play but jogged to the sideline. Doesn't seem too serious.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:33 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

That 3-yard pass from Burrow to Evans out of the backfield should be something the Rams explore to make up for a lack of a running game. Try to gain that little bit of ground on those short, swift passes.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:31 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

With Joe Burrow banged up, Joe Mixon is coming up extremely clutch for the Bengals offense.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:29 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

The Rams have enjoyed strong field position, but can't take advantage. On their last three possessions, they've started at their own 35, 48 and 47-yard line. Each has resulted in a three-and-out.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:27 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

An ill-timed three-and-out for the Rams. Felt like there was a golden opportunity to regain momentum and the offense couldn't get anything rolling really, particularly due to a lack of a running game.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:25 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Again, Sean McVay needs to stop running the football. It's not working whatsoever.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:25 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Stafford is on the field for the Rams, so some good QB news on the L.A. side.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:21 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Von Miller pulled a spin move to get to Joe Burrow on the sack. The Bengals were called for unnecessary roughness on the play to back this fourth down punt up.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:20 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Joe Burrow was banged up on that third-down sack and is limping off the field.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:15 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

The Rams need to start thinking about abandoning the run. They are going nowhere. Put the ball in Stafford's hands and try to make the comeback.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:14 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

The Rams were able to sack Joe Burrow five times during the third quarter. They'll need to keep that energy coming.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:10 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

So much attention is being paid to Donald that it does free up some one-on-one situations for others like Von Miller on that second down sack.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:08 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Really feel for Odell Beckham Jr. after the NBC broadcast just showed him with tears in his eyes on the sideline.

[Feb 13, 2022 at 9:08 pm ET · Tyler Sullivan]

Stafford got rolled up pretty good on that last sack, but it looks like he's alright to keep playing.